Preakness Barn Photos and Alibi Breakfast

Date: 05/15/2003

The Alibi Breakfast is a Pimlico tradition dating back to the 1930's, when trainers and owners would gather at the old Clubhouse and swap stories over coffee with each other and the press. Some of the best racing stories ever to be printed came from these breakfasts. Nowadays the Breakfast gives the connections and media a chance to celebrate the Preakness and give their race predictions and comments.

Preakness favorite and Kentucky winner Funny Cide was represented by Jackson Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stable. Knowlton said, ""Barclay did it his way as he always has, and the result was just fantastic. We're having the time of our lives. We're so happy to be here, looking forward to the race on Saturday. This is a fabulous story for the little guy in racing. Really pleased to be representing New York. We're hoping we can take another one back to New York."

When asked about the Santos incident, he said, "It felt terrible, it felt like we got punched in the stomach. It was s very difficult time for Santos and his family. Fortunately the stewards in Kentucky acted expeditiously, got this over with so we could have our full celebration with the Governor (of New York) with no black cloud."

Master of Ceremonies Chris Lincoln asked Sackatoga partner David Mahan about their transportation arrangements at the Derby, which consisted of a school bus, the "Yellow Stretch Limo", because the team could not afford a $3400 chartered bus. Mahan said, "That was a lot of fun. Jackson assigned me to get get our people over to Churchill Downs. $3400 was a little too much for Sackatoga Stable at the time, right now it's not too bad, but we loaded [the school bus] up with beers and some bloody marys and had a great old time. We parked next to all these big stretch million-dollar coaches, we piled out and won a Derby, it was great!"

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Repository, entered in The Very One Stakes on Black-Eyed Susan day.

D. Wayne Lukas, representing Ten Cents a Shine and Scrimshaw, said, "I've got 2 world class riders here (Jerry Bailey on Ten Cents a Shine, Gary Stevens on Scrimshaw), they've won 5 Triple Crown races for me, so we're delighted to have these two guys. We weren't really pleased with either one's trip in the Kentucky Derby so we have to improve. Scrimshaw is probably just coming into his own, we probably needed the race in the Derby, we thought it was worth the chance so we can look a little better here."

Ken Ramsey, co-owner, of Ten Cents a Shine, added, "I feel we've put ourselves in a position to get lucky. We've got a multiple Eclipse Award winning jockey, a multiple Eclipse-Award winning trainer, both of them are in the Hall of Fame, so, put yourself in a position that way and sometimes luck happens."

Bob Baffert was on hand to talk about his entry, Senor Swinger, but first he was asked why Indian Express wasn't entered. "We were looking into sending Indian Express [to the Preakness] but he came up with a little foot bruise and he was going to miss 4 or 5 days of training so I decided to save him for later on." On Senor Swinger, "I was thinking about the Derby but his race in the Wood I wasn't really thrilled with so I decided to work him on the turf since he's bred for turf top and bottom. Pat Day loved the way he moved over it, and he ran so well in the Crown Royal (at Churchill Downs). I asked Pat Day's agent if Day would ride him in the Preakness and he thought he deserved a shot at it so that's why we're here. I wanted him on the outside because turf horses don't like dirt in their face so I want to keep him in the clear and hopefully he'll get a clean break, and keep him on the outside and if he can do it he'll do it."

Before the breakfast, we visited the Stakes Barn to see what the Preakness horses were up to.

Crown Royal American Turf winner and Preakness entrant Senor Swinger went out for a jog on Thursday morning.

After his jog, Senor Swinger enjoyed a nice bath.

Neil Howard's Preakness entrant Midway Road walked around the track the wrong way twice just to stretch his legs.

Lukas sent his horses out early, while it was still dark, and Preakness entrant Scrimshaw was out for a graze afterwards.

Snake Mountain, who will run in the Pimlico Special on Friday, was out to graze.

The Preakness logo painted on the grass of the infield and the winner's circle.

The Preakness saddlecloths with the jockey figurines painted in the Preakness entrants' colors. The figurines are a gift to the owners at the Alibi Breakfast.

The lawn jockey by the Stakes Barn is painted with the last Preakness winner's colors.

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